SACRAMENTO – Seventy-six people, including 29 in Los Angeles and the Inland Empire, may face criminal charges after being caught in 12 undercover sting operations conducted in seven cities this past week by the Contractors State License Board (CSLB).

Among those arrested during the operation were one dozen suspects who were either caught in previous stings, or have had consumer complaints filed with CSLB against them.
Two suspects were taken directly to jail. One, caught in the Moreno Valley sting, had an arrest warrant for perjury and failure to appear in an unrelated case; a suspect at the San Diego sting had an arrest warrant and was also caught while in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. That suspect gave an undercover investigator a $10,000 bid to repair a deck.

A suspect caught in the Los Angeles sting, was tipped to CSLB by a consumer after that unlicensed contractor allegedly abandoned a $330,000 job. That suspect bid $74,500 to replace a long concrete driveway.

In California, all home improvement jobs valued at $500 or more in labor and materials must be done by a company with a state-issued contractor’s license. Jobs cannot be cut into pieces or charged by the hour in an effort to bypass the law.

In the undercover operation, SWIFT investigators posed as homeowners and called suspected unlicensed operators for home improvement bids that included a bathroom demo and remodel, painting, landscaping, flooring, roofing, fencing, deck repair, tree removal, masonry, tile, and concrete work.

Suspects were targeted because of tips or previous complaints, advertisements posted in online bulletin boards including Craigslist, Angie’s List, and the Yellow Pages; as well as from ads in local newspapers; community pamphlets that included, Smart Saver; store bulletin boards, business cards, and ads on sides of vehicles.
The suspects caught during this operation provided bids totaling more than $360,000.

“We can’t stress enough the importance of making sure anyone you hire to work near your home or family has a state license,” said CSLB Registrar Cindi Christenson. “It only takes a few moments to go to the CSLB website and find a lot of information about them.”

Suspects caught received a Notice to Appear (NTA) in Superior Court to face misdemeanor charges. The investigative cases will be turned over to local prosecutors who will determine what charges will be filed.

Two suspects were given a NTA for being an unregistered salesperson (BPC §7153).

Fifty-six suspects also may be charged with illegal advertising (BPC §7027.1). California law requires contractors to place their CSLB license number in all print, broadcast, and online advertisements. Those without a license can advertise to perform jobs valued at less than $500, but the ad must state that they are not a licensed contractor. The penalty is a fine of $700 to $1,000.

Two others may be charged with requesting an excessive down payment (BPC §7159.5). In California, a home improvement project down payment cannot exceed 10 percent of the contract total or $1,000, whichever is less. This misdemeanor charge carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail and/or up to a $5,000 fine.

“This warning is especially important because many consumers are starting to hire contractors to make preparations for expected heavy rains this winter, from an el niño weather pattern,” added Christenson.

Blitz totals may increase as some suspects are expected to provide their bids to undercover investigators at a later date.

STING NOTES

Fresno (Fresno County)

Bids ranged from $1,100 to $5,680

After receiving NTA, suspect may have tipped off two other men arriving at sting house as he was leaving

Los Angeles (Los Angeles County)

Bids ranged from $750 to $74,500

Two suspects caught in previous CSLB sting operations (2009 & 2014)

One lead provided by consumer allegedly victimized by unlicensed contractor who abandoned $330,000 job

Moreno Valley (Riverside County)

Bids ranged from $750 to $6,200

One suspect taken to jail with $75,000 arrest warrant for perjury and failure to appear

One suspect caught in previous CSLB sting operation (2012)

One suspect previously cited by CSLB – Partially paid fine

Rio Vista (Solano County)

Bids ranged from $1,650 to $23,000

Rohnert Park (Sonoma County)

Bids ranged from $1,500 to $9,400

One suspect caught had a contractor’s license that expired in 2012

San Diego (San Diego County)

Bids ranged from $1,000 to $10,000

One suspect taken to jail for drug possession, driving with a suspended license, and a $5,000 arrest warrant

One suspect said he “partnered” with licensed contractor. That licensee may receive citation for aiding and abetting unlicensed activity

CSLB encourages consumers to always “Check The License First” by visiting www.cslb.ca.gov or calling its toll-free automated line: 800.321.CSLB (2752). Also, visit CSLB’s website for tips about how to hire a contractor and to sign up for
CSLB Email Alerts.

The Contractors State License Board operates under the umbrella of the California Department of Consumer Affairs. CSLB licenses and regulates about 285,000 contractors in California, and is regarded as one of the leading consumer protection agencies in the United States. In fiscal year 2014-15, CSLB helped recover nearly $68 million in ordered restitution for consumers.

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